Knepp wander!

 Headed to Knepp last Sunday in the hope of a Turtle Dove! We did a large bit of the Red Walk and all the White Walk, with no sight or sound unfortunately, checking out all the places I've seen them in previous years. We did bump into a couple of birders who said they had heard and eventually seen a couple!! Not a bad walk round though, some showy, Blackcaps and at least one Garden Warbler, located by the Merlin App and glimpsed by me!!! The Storks of course always impress and we managed to avoid all the large farm animals that wander around the place, phew!! Although we did connect with a small group of Fallow Deer, just starting to get their new Antlers! Margie was sad we couldn't find the pigs! A few of mine and Margie's pictures below! 

Very showy Blackcap near the car park, a good start to proceedings! 

Scrubby Habitat on the way up to the shop, by Margie

Poor pic but might be a Garden Warbler? Glimpsed through the scrub?

Common Whitethroat, lot's showing well on the scrubby bushes

Margie's pic of the Common Whitethroat

Plenty of House Sparrows around the buildings

Plenty of Blackbirds around the trails

The Stork nest near the shop, think there were 4 chicks in there

It's a lovely place to wander round, a few of Margie's pics below

The benefits of Organic Farming cowpats full of bugs!

Quite a few Chiffchaffs about but this was the only pic I got!

Surprisingly showy Jay

Another Storks nest captured by Margie

closer view by me

Margie's view from one of the Tree Houses

Small herd of Roe Deer by Margie

Comma Butterfly

Roe Deer

Flyby Stork

Another showy Blackcap

Hawthorn Blossom has been pretty spectacular this year

The Stork nest near the shop again, fantastic views of impressive birds!

Flyover Buzzard

Red Kite final bird of the trip, back at the car park!

So a nice walk around if a bit disappointing on the Turtle Dove front.😢 We were also surprised to hear only a single, very distant Cuckoo, in visits in  previous years there have been several knocking around the site, maybe just unlucky today! Plenty of birds seen and heard though, a couple of Bullfinch too quick for pics, lots of Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs, a few Linnet, couple of flyover Yellowhammer, Song Thrushes, a bit of half-hearted Nightingale song and plenty of Blackbirds, Wrens and Robins!! A beautiful place in the glorious sunshine.